Poker Face
by snowflakes849
Summary: How does the team spend time between jobs? With cards, of course! Fist Leverage fic. No pairings
1. Card War

**Poker Face**

**I don't own Leverage.**

**First Leverage fic, so please be nice! Inspired by the Two Horse Job.**

**I don't know much about poker, just the really basics. So, forgive me if it isn't quite right!**

It had been over two weeks since the team had gotten Willie and Amy their horse, Baltimore, and the team was between jobs. Nate hadn't found a new client yet and everyone was getting restless because they had so much free time.

While Hardison could be glued to his computer for days on end and Sophie never got tired of roaming the nearby cities and going shopping, there was only so much shopping and hacking you could do before it got a little old. Eliot worked out in the gym a lot during the week to keep in shape, but it couldn't take the place of actually having a mark. Even Parker felt that stealing jewelry wasn't as much fun when it wasn't meant to help someone in need. It didn't have the same thrill. She even went so far as to go back and return the gems just for the heck of it. I mean, once the store knew someone had gotten in, they tightened security. It could possibly be fun.

After a few days, the team got into a habit of heading into the office throughout the day, secretly hoping Nate had come up with a new job. They would play a card game, watch a movie, or just hang out.

On this particular evening, Parker walked in on the rest of the team gathered around the glass table. Nate, Eliot, and Hardison were playing poker while Sophie sat back with a bowl of popcorn and watched the show the men were putting on. Between Hardison's mathematical skills, Eliot's street smarts, and Nate's mastermind, none of them were really winning or losing. Playful batter was thrown around to unsettle each other as well as harmless threats. In Sophie's opinion, it was better than watching Project Runway.

Parker grabbed a seat and joined Sophie. "So, how long have they been at it?"

"For about an hour now." She passed the popcorn over and the thief nodded in thanks. "They could be at it for a while yet."

And she was right. But, in time, teams sprang up from the game. As it turned out, Nate and Eliot worked hard to get Hardison out. Soon, the hacker's chip piles dwindled until they were almost none existent. Even though they weren't playing with real money, Hardison was fuming.

"Hey! Hey, now! No cheating!"

"What are you talking about, Hardison?" Eliot smiled. "We aren't signaling each other. Remember, Nate's the 'honest' man and I respect the game to much too use a trick that dirty."

"You two are targeting me every round! Teams are not in the spirit of poker!" Hardison was getting frustrated and everyone was having fun at his expense. Sophie barely held back her laughter, making do with a huge smile. Parker didn't have her tack. Her high pitched giggles filled the room during each round. On top of that, Eliot and Nate were downright poking fun at him. The pour guy didn't have one person on his side and he was barely hanging on in the game, winning a small amount of money every couple of hands.

"All right, all right!" Nathan held up a hand, holding back another round of chuckles. "Eliot has a point."

The hitter turned to him as confusion filled both men's faces. "I did. What point was that?"

Nathan hoped he wouldn't be getting a bruise from his teammate. "I am an honest man, and so I'm going to even the playing field." He turned to Hardison, ignoring the scowl on the hitter's face. "You can have one of the girl's as your partner. That is, if they will join you?"

Hardison's hopeful expression slipped and Eliot silently forgave the mastermind. When Sophie had played earlier, she had been horrible. No one had seen Parker play, but none of them had high hopes.

"Any takers?" Nathan asked.

Silence ensued for a while and Hardison's face fell so hard, it was amazing it didn't hit the floor.

"I'll take a whack at it." Parker stood. "That is, if you want me to help you?" she asked Hardison.

The thief got a toothy grin in response and sat down across from her teammate with Eliot on her right and Nate on her left. She was passed her share of chips from the "bank," everyone anteed up, and the next hand was dealt.

After a round of bets, Nathan folded with a two, five, six, and two tens. Sadly, Hardison folded as well. Pour guy couldn't keep up with Eliot's aggressive bets. He was trying to make the new player feel intimidated. But, Parker matched him beat for beat.

She was a much different player than Hardison and it irritated Eliot. The hacker was easy to read. He had a tell and talked way too much. He responded to Eliot's spoken jibes. The only thing keeping him in the game was his ability to count.

That wasn't Parker at all. She didn't move. She didn't speak. She barely even gave his batter a thought and even when she did, she only narrowed her eyes. And it wasn't because he was pissing her off like he had Hardison. It was in a way that said, "I know your trick and it won't work." Instead, Eliot was the one who was starting to get upset.

The team watched the two as they battled the round out, taking in Eliot's words and reading Parker's unspoken response. It was great!

Eliot slapped down two sevens, and three jacks. A smile lit his face as Hardison hissed in disgust and Nate gave a nod of approval. "Full house!"

Without so much as a smirk, Parker calmly laid down four queens and an ace.

"Wait, what?!" Eliot stared in shock. She hadn't hinted at anything and was hadn't known she could play poker.

Hardison laughed and pointed at Eliot. "Oh! Burned!"

A slow smile finally graced the thief's face as she raked in her win. Eliot had lost quite a bit of money on that round.

Sophie was laughing in the background. "You had better watch out, Eliot. I think you've met you're match!"

And in this rhythm, the game continued. Soon, Hardison was out of chips and Nathan himself was losing a lot of his. But, it was barely noticed. Eliot had silently waged war against Parker and she had accepted. For a few rounds, Parker would be winning. Then, Eliot would throw in a comment and fake tell that would throw her off her game. He would win a few rounds before she was able to get a good hand and throw him off by actually talking. Each would pull an new trick out of their bag and turn the odds to their favor.

After a while, even Nate, for all his brains, was out off the game. By this time, the game had been running for a total of two hours and twenty minutes. Sophie had discarded the popcorn bowl and she and Nate were now eating sandwiches they had gotten delivered to the office. Hardison was working on his second bottle of orange soda and had actually given the game his total attention instead of grabbing his compute like he normally would have.

Slowly, Eliot started winning more than Parker and her chips went down.

They both put their ante in the middle and Nate dealt.

Eliot hid a smile from his face and decided this was the hand he had been looking for. He was going to hit Parker hard this round. She had been faltering the past few hands. She slipped ever once in a while as she went under pressure and had given away her cards.

In a strategic move, Eliot backed off a little from pressuring her, giving a silent signal saying, "Look at me! In not aggressive, meaning I'm nervous and don't want to push it. I don't have as good a hand this time!"

Parker showed the same signs of distress as before. She was more distracted this hand, he could tell even as she tried to hide it by raising Eliot to twice his bet. And his tactic changed. He wasn't only going to hurt her hard this hand but shut her down!

"All in." Eliot stated, pushing in every chip he had. The small audience gasped and Sophie's mouth dropped open.

Eliot's eyes narrowed. Now was the moment. Was she going to be brave and meet his bet or was she going to fold?

Parker slowly leaned forward and, with a steady push, put every chip she had in the center of the table. Eliot hesitated for a second. Had he miss read her? But, he let it go. No way she beat him with this hand.

"Straight flush!" Eliot announced, laying down five through nine in hearts. Parker's face fell just the slightest bit and he let loose a grin. Hardison's head lowered and Nathan laughed with pleasure. Eliot turned and Nate congratulated him.

Suddenly, Sophie burst out laughing. The two turned to see her pointing at the table and Hardison smiling.

Eliot spun around to find Parker's cards on the table. She had laid down a ten through ace in spades. He looked up at her in disbelief.

She shrugged. "Royal flush. Too bad you went all in. You probably would have beaten me if we had kept going."

Hardison let out a whooping yell and jumped up to hug her. "Wow, girl! Where'd those skills come from? And that poker face!! You were great!"

He and Sophie congratulated her as Nathan and Eliot slowly stood.

"Good game." Nathan held out his hand to both Parker and Hardison who responded with their own 'Good game.'

Eliot hung back, a scowl on his face. Nate elbowed him in the ribs and finally he held out his hand. "Good game."

Parker smiled. "We'll have to play again sometime."

His grip grew stronger on her hand. "You're on!"

**TBC**

**I hope you enjoyed the fic! If you liked, please review! If you just want to point out my mistakes with the poker game, go ahead. I don't mind constructive criticism!**


	2. Author Note

Author Note

I was hit with an idea. What if I continued this with other stories in which Parker has a 'poker face.' Like on a con where she has to be a grifter, or maybe when a con confronts something from her past. What do you think? Good idea?

Please let me know!!!


	3. Halloween

**Poker Face- Halloween**

**Author's Note- I am so sorry that I haven't written for a while. I've been trying to write a book, but that's on hold until more ideas burst inside my head. Anyway, this one-shot is a Halloween special. I wish everyone a day full of screams and sugar-induced comas! **

**Dedicated to saides who got me to finally update.**

Hay bales, scarecrows, and colorful leaves. That's what Halloween looked like in the small, Texan town where Eliot grew up. The fall season meant harvest time which was work, but also farm fun.

As the Leverage team walked around the carnival grounds, Eliot couldn't help but frown at the attractions. "Bob for Poisoned Apples" seemed to be the lamest stand yet, but even that wasn't as ridiculous as "Pumpkin Basketball." He knew that not everyone celebrated Halloween because of the crops like he had been raised, and he was ok with that. But he had at least thought everyone else was in for the scare!

Why, oh why had he come out to freeze his ass off at the most boring display of Halloween festivities known to man? Oh, that's right. Sophie had dragged Nate out, so now everyone else on the team had to suffer as well.

Well, maybe not everyone. Hardison was practically vibrating out of his clothes from excitement. He was already toting around a large stuffed animal he had won for tossing a black hat onto the top of a witch's broomstick. Eliot's scowl deepened at the memory of the computer geek showing off his "skills." Anyone with the smallest amount of hand-eye coordination could have won the child's game.

The talented grifter was hanging off of Nate's arm, oohing and awing at the dancing lights of every stinkin' booth on the property. She had even convinced "the mastermind" to enter in a scarecrow race after a dramatic round of pleading and puppy-dog eyes. Ha! Too bad their fearless leader wasn't smart enough to get out of that situation. Ironically, he also wasn't brave enough to fare the anger of Sophie if he had refused. At least one thing that night had been fun to watch!

"Where's Parker?" came the sweet British accent.

Eliot looked around. Sure enough, the thief had slipped away from the group, lost in the crowd of parents pushing strollers and teen delinquents. Dang. He really hoped she hadn't decided to go through with her plan to jump off of the Ferris wheel in the center of the carnival. Sophie had reasoned with her that the lone ride wasn't stable enough for such a feat and she might endanger the passengers.

Suddenly, the blonde appeared in front of the group munching on a corn dog.

"Oh, Parker! I told you not to eat that rubbish! It's terrible…." Sophie rambled on as they continued to work their way through the crowds. Luckily, she had no idea that each member was blocking her voice from their thoughts.

The hitter turned to Parker. He had though with her child-like personality that she would be the one bouncing around instead of Hardison. Instead, she had listlessly followed as if she was trying to turn into one of the ghosts depicted on the side of the concession stands. Maybe something was wrong…

A quiet snort escaped. Then again, what was it that he always said to her? _There's somethin' wrong with you._

A bright red sign flashed out of the corner of his eyes.

_Ride Through the Forest of Fright._

Ok. So, again, the name could use a ton of work. But, hey, it _must_ be better than this.

"Hey, guys, why don't we check that out?" he spoke up, pointing to the sign.

Sophie's voice died from her musings on funnel cakes and her face clearly showed shock at the hitter's suggestion. She wouldn't be caught dead in such a place, which would probably happen, death from fright.

One glance at Sophie and Nate sighed. He almost cursed at his luck. Even though they weren't really dating, there was no way he'd be able to escape with Eliot. Trying not to sulk even more, he shook his head in the negative.

Eliot shrugged and broke from the group. Just because Nate was on a leash didn't mean he would give up his shoot at a halfway decent night. To his surprise, Parker hadn't even hesitated, matching him step for step. She really wanted to come along?

"Hey, hey, hey! Hold up now. I'm coming with you!" Hardison jogged to catch up with them. Eliot glanced back to see Nate struggling to carry the hacker's prize along with the steadily growing pill of souvenirs Sophie was accumulating.

He turned back to his company. Of course Hardison had decided to tag along when Parker came. His dedication to the little pick-pocket was as easy to see as a flashing billboard. But, why had she come?

"Fine," he forced out in his rough Southern drawl. "Just please stop bouncing around like a toddler on a sugar high! It's annoying me."

"Oh, _now_ who's the party pooper? You know, you need to loosen up. All that boxing and fighting stuff had you so tense. Come now, Eliot. It's a holiday, a time for celebration. Can't you at least try to smile? It wouldn't kill you, really-"

"Shut up, Hardison!" he growled up. God, this was going to be a disaster.

"Ok, Mr. Grumpy Pants. Maybe someone should learn control for that anger along with the physical control for hand-to-hand combat." With that final jab, Hardison twisted to Parker and started up a conversation with her.

Clenching his jaw, Eliot focused on not knocking his teammate's jaw clean off his head. The idiot knew just what buttons to push. Thank god he hadn't had any brothers growing up, because, one way or another, he probably still would have ended up an only child.

As they walked along the dirt path, the crowd disappeared and the lights from the stands dimmed until it was just a slight glow.

"Yeah, what a beautiful night. All the stars and the.. the trees and, uh, woodsy stuff. Wonderful, fall night." Hardison's voice began to waver, his eyes darting around.

Parker glanced at him. Was something wrong? Once minute he was talking about an online game he wanted her to join, and the next, he was stuttering about the night. He never ended a conversation about something related to computers without completely exhausting the topic.

Dismissing the idea, she nodded. "Yes. I love fall nights, looking up at the stars. There are so many. Oh, look! The moon is full! It's so bright, even with those clouds."

"Cl-clouds?" A creepy chill was running up Hardison's back. The scene they were walking into was straight out of a horror film. Maybe going out on Halloween was a bad idea. If only he hadn't followed Parker like a friendless puppy….

Eliot was finally tuning back into the conversation and had noticed the sudden tensing of Hardison's shoulders. Ha, ha! Payback was best served _cold_!

"Parker, don't you just love the fall temperatures. It's such a relief from the heat of summer." If he could play this right, Parker would be the one scaring the crap out of the hacker. If Eliot said anything himself, Hardison would brush it off as the hitter just messing with him. But, Parker… She would be able to set the perfect stage.

"Oh, yes! The wind blowing the trees slightly and stirring my hair is marvelous. And the way it seems to just crawl up your body, tickling your neck and raising the hairs on your arms…" She shivered a little. "It's actually very refreshing. Reminds me of jumping off a roof for the first time. You fly through the air, knowing you're hooked up to your line, but you're not 100% sure, not knowing if you're going to hit something that comes out of nowhere…"

By now, Hardison's head was swiveling back and forth, checking behind every tree and bush, wound up tighter than a spring. If anything would actually step out from a hiding spot, he probably would be to tense to even be able to move a muscle to run. Eliot had to fight the grin from his face.

Fortunately for the poor, frightened man, they had reached a red barn that was brightly lit, the words "Hay Ride" painted in black on it. A line of people were in front of small shack with a window, obviously the ticket stand. After having paid for the attraction, the three walked the short distance to the barn.

"You know what else is great about fall," Parker started out of the blue. "It's not just the cool, crisp air, but the rainy evenings. The ground is still hot from the day when the sun had been beating down on it. But, the cool rain meets it and there's this mist that comes from the clashing of temperatures. It's like a moment frozen in time as this fog comes up and swirls around you, encasing you in gray." She voice had dropped, covered in a honey texture as she thought back on a memory.

Hardison had almost stumbled as she spoke and the people around them had shifted away uneasily, eyeing the blonde woman.

There was a group of four pre-teenagers, two guys and two girls, most likely getting ready for their first haunted hay ride all of them scared out of the minds, but not backing down, more scared of being called a wimp than of anything they were about to face.

The other cluster of people waiting with them was a group four woman, in their young twenties, who looked like they had been drinking a little too much. That was more than likely the only way they had gotten the courage to come. They were all a little to dressed up to look like they belonged, like they were more accustomed to an upscale, sophisticated coffee and bookstore than in this backwoods area; Daddy's princesses from family money. Parker's words seemed to be sobering them up fast, and they looked to be regretting the idea already.

Before the thief could say anything else, a tractor drove up pulling a wooden wagon. The driver, an older gentleman with graying hair and a kind smile, jumped down and placed a small step stool next to the wagon. Helping everyone climb in, he got back in the driver's seat and took off.

Everyone was quiet, the only sound was the tractor as it rumbled along the trail. It grew dark again as they moved away from the barn. The teens were lined along the right side of the wagon and the rich woman along the left, all faced inward. Their head were down, shoulders hunched, knowing that people would be popping out to scare them and trying to ball up into a more protective position.

Along the back of the wagon sat Hardison and Eliot. There wasn't enough room for Parker to squeeze in next to them because of the folded legs on either side, so she sat in front of them, close to the middle of the wagon, the only person facing outwards from the wagon.

"Did you know that Halloween in American was originally to be called 'Razor Apple Day?' Also, the Mexican cousin of Halloween in 'The Day of the Dead.' Families will spend the night in the cemetery that holds their relatives."

Parker's commentary was received with a few round eyes and a few glares. Eliot wanted to cheer. She was drawing their attention towards her instead of what was coming. He could sense people approaching as the tractor gradually slowed down and now the circle of people in the wagon wouldn't see anything coming.

"According to a 2009 census, 29% of Americans have felt the icy touch of someone who died."

A hand reached out from the dark and brushed along Hardison's arm. His scream rang out in the night and almost blew Eliot's left eardrum. But, the hitter couldn't complain, as he watched every person on the wagon jump and scream. Men in black and masks jumped on the wagon, waving their hands in the air, leaning close to the passengers, growling and emitting their own eerie screeches. Hay flew as friends grabbed for each other and their assailants moved from group to group.

Hardison had pitched forward, away from the hand and was molded to Parker's side, his head buried in her shoulder. He was practically rocking back and forth. But the little blonde, she was still as stone. If Hardison didn't have her arm in a death grip, she might have been awkwardly patting him on the back in an attempt to soothe him. But, that wasn't the case, and she was stationary except for the swaying motion Hardison was subjecting onto her.

Suddenly, the men jumped out of the wagon and disappeared into the woods. Slowly, the sobs from the woman quieted and the tremors that controlled Hardison's body died. The silence descended on them again, this time bursting with tension. But, the human body can only run on adrenaline for so long, and eventually, bodies eased. The air eased from a heavy thumping to a crackle.

Hardison, with a sheepish smile to Parker, scooted back. "Thanks."

She shrugged. "Course."

A few murmurs could be heard as everyone tried to shake off the terror they had experienced. Low, strained chuckles bounced around like flat basketballs, a poor attempt to lighten the mood.

The tractor approached a dark building, just barely visible in the dim moonlight.

"Did you know the Salem Witch trials of 1692 are known for burning so-called witches at the stake?"

The tension was back full blast, but now it was tinted with anger.

"What's your problem?" one brave male teen voiced. "Are you really that cruel that you try to scare everyone more?"

"Hey! Calm down," Eliot finally spoke up. He couldn't have this punk ruining his fun. Plus, Parker was just being Parker. "Seriously, she's just like that. She spouts out whatever comment or fact that runs through her head. She doesn't know what effect she has on people. Back off!"

The boy gulped and nodded. Everyone on the ride decided to stay quiet about the freaky girl. No one wanted to mess with Eliot.

While they had been talking, the tractor had pulled into the building and parked, but it went unnoticed as the confrontation continued.

"Did you know that non-dairy creamer is flammable?"

Torches hanging around the building burst and suddenly a soundtrack filled with pained moans and far off screams filled the air at full blast. People were chained to the walls on either side of the wagon, their clothes torn and bloody. They sprung from the outside of the room, reaching for the group, clawing at the wagon.

Screams pierced the air from the wagon as everyone crashed into each other as they dove to the center of the wagon, frantic to stay away from the flailing limbs.

"Please!" they screamed. The prisoners begged and pleaded. "Save me! Take me with you! Help us!" Some grasped at their bodies, scratched at their already bleeding faces. Others pulled at their tangled and matted hair. But, they were all screaming and desperate.

A crack like lightning sounded and everyone except Parker, Eliot, and the driver jumped. The prisoners went positively wild. Some tried to climb into the wagon even as the chains kept them back. Some cringed back to the wall, falling to their knees and howling in panic.

The tractor pulled out slowly, leaving the prisoners to drop like flies to the ground. The torches dimmed, and the shadows surged from the corners, dancing unleashed back into the room. A voice came over the sound system.

"Trying to escape again?" it growled in anger. "You must know be now that no one leaves here… Alive." A figure emerged, unchained, to stand tall in the center of the room. Two red eyes glowed back at the group. The figure slowly reached up an arm in a graceful arch and slammed it back down. A whip crack sliced through the air and the doors to the building slammed shut just as the wagon finished its exit, missing the corners by half a foot. The area became abruptly mute, void of anything but the passengers' frenzied gasps for air.

Eliot turned back in his seat when the show finished. Parker was now sitting directly in front of him having been pushed aside as Hardison scrambled from the edge of the wagon. Behind her were shaking bodies, all with their backs to each other, eyes wide and scanning for any possible threat, arms linked in vice grips.

"In just about every species of mammal, the female lives longer than the male."

A hair-raising scream from the building punctured the silence and a few of the princess and pre-teens cried out as well, grabbing the closest body and hanging on to it with a vengeance.

"Did you know that the liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for blood plasma? I wonder if that's how he keeps them alive." Parker's head tilted to the side in consideration.

A preteen girl burst into tears.

Oh no. Eliot knew that it had officially gone too far. He scooted forward and reached a hand out. "It's ok, darlin'. They're just actors. It's all fake."

But, it was too late. The young girl wasn't thinking clearly, too scared for her synapses to fire properly in her head.

The tractor stopped and the driver climbed down from his seat. He walked around to the crying teen and quietly talked to her. He must have been able to soothe her some, because some the girl's cries quieted.

"Alright everybody," his voice rose so he could be heard by all. "Tonight seems to be getting to everyone, it being Halloween and all. If you want, you can leave now. An employee will come with some flashlights and escort you out safely. But, if you think you can handle it, there is only a little bit left to the ride. Think about it while I call someone out." The man walked back to his seat and grabbed a small radio.

Friends talked to each other, most of the fear having dissipated in the last few minutes. Hardison came back over to his own friends.

"So," he began, struggling for a calm demeanor. "How about that escort? You can't be having a good time, Parker."

The blonde smiled. "It reminds me of a play!"

Both men starred at her, her comment taking them both of guard.

But, the hacker quickly recovered, grasping for straws. "Come on, Eliot. You've been stoic this whole time. If you're bored we can leave now."

Eliot smiled. "No way! I'm getting my money's worth."

Hardison's façade was falling; his fingers were tapping his legs in a nervous habit and his furrowed a little, a telltale sign that he was desperate to find a solution.

"You can leave if it's too much, Alec," Parker said sweetly. "I don't mind finishing the ride with Eliot. You could wait for us back at the barn."

His eyes grew at the idea of waiting for them by himself. "No! No, that's ok," he squeaked out. "We can all finish it together."

The driver helped the other eight passengers down from the wagon and two guys in jeans passed out a few lights to the group. They took off though the trees, headed back to the entrance, Hardison following their movement with jealous eyes.

"Well, looks like I've got some brave souls on board today. Get ready. We're heading out!" The driver smiled and took him spot again, pulling the tractor out of park.

Ahead, a blanket of mist layered the ground, swirling in the slight breeze.

"Hey, Hardison, did you know it's possible to go blind from smoking too heavily?" Parker asked, scooting into the open spot next to Eliot, finally having the chance to rest against the edge. She wiggled down, getting comfy.

The hacker jammed his body next to her, making the three of them sit close together.

"Also, Eskimo literally means 'raw meat eater.'"

A man jumped out from behind a tree, revving a chainsaw. Hardison screamed, turning in his spot to face the hockey masked monster, backing up into Parker.

The guy came up to the wagon, bagging his weapon on the wood, making it rumble. He passed behind the group hoping to illicit more fear in the other two, but returned to his first prey when the trick failed. Reaching into the wagon, he pressed the chainsaw into Hardison's leg.

He flipped out, flopping about in the hay, trying to get away. Lucky for him, the masked man retreated and the tractor continued.

Sitting up, he saw Eliot's expression, a clear look of displeasure at his display. "I almost cut my hand off in shop class in high school. I just had a bad flash back."

The hitter snorted and Parker commented, "If you have your head chopped off, you can expect seven seconds of consciousness before all the blood drains from your brain. You'd be able to view the world from a bodiless perspective!"

Choosing to ignore Parker for once, Hardison turned back to watch where they were headed. He was ecstatic to see that they were pulling up in front of the barn. The hay ride was over!

He jumped down even before the driver could get the stool. When they were all out and heading back to the carnival, he practically ran.

Eliot finally let out a low chuckle. Tonight had ended far better than he could have hoped.

Returning, the three found Nate sipping a soda and Sophie eating a candy apple, the pile of stuff already packed into the trunk of the car parked just on the other side of the tree line.

"Did you know that Agatha Christie's novel "Halloween Party" is about a lady who drowned in an apple-bobbing tub?"

Jumping, Hardison knocked the apple out of Sophie's grip.

"Hardison!"

Grumbling about stupid, pointless facts and life-like freaks, he stomped towards the car, Sophie and Nate quickly following.

Eliot turned to Parker. "As much as I enjoyed tonight, you should go try to make things up to Hardison."

"Why?" the blonde asked.

"Well, you kinda freaked him out," he explained to the thief.

A smile grew on her face, a twinkle appearing in her eyes.

Eliot stared. "You did it on purpose!" he accused, astounded that she hadn't been as innocent as she appeared.

Quickly, Parker wiped her face clean. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head, a mimic of her earlier actions. Rounding on her foot, she headed off to the car as well.

Damn, he thought. I really need to crack that poker face.

**Please review!**


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